WNYT.com

Anthony’s attorneys try to block her deposition

Updated at: 10/07/2013 4:35 PM
By MIKE SCHNEIDER

(AP) ORLANDO, Fla. - Casey Anthony’s attorneys are trying to block her from giving a deposition for a woman who claims the Florida mother defamed her.

Anthony’s attorneys filed a motion late last week asking a judge in her Tampa bankruptcy case to stop the deposition, claiming they weren’t properly given notice and that the woman’s claim lacks merit.

Anthony is scheduled to give the deposition on Wednesday to Zenaida Gonzalez’s attorneys.

Anthony told detectives that a baby sitter named Zenaida Gonzalez kidnapped her 2-year-old daughter Caylee while the detectives were investigating the girl’s 2008 disappearance. Anthony was acquitted in 2011 of murdering her daughter.

Gonzalez claims in a state lawsuit that she was defamed by those statements and should be considered a creditor in Anthony’s federal bankruptcy case.

In the motion, Anthony’s attorneys claim Gonzalez is on a "quest for publicity" and that she is "a principal orchestrator of the media circus" surrounding Anthony.

Moreover, Anthony already has been deposed in state court and she would assert her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, her attorney, David Schrader, said in the motion.

"Although Gonzalez’ counsel has repeatedly told the press and other that his goal in this case is to `break Ms. Anthony’s story,’ he will not do so and should not be allowed to put Ms. Anthony through another argumentative and abusive proceeding ..." Schrader said.

Gonzalez’s attorney, Matt Morgan, said in an email that Anthony should be held accountable under the law like any other defendant in a civil lawsuit.

"We know she doesn’t want to answer, that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t have to," Morgan said.